In the ongoing fight against drunk driving and drugged driving, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Southeast Florida hosted its 15th Annual UKG & Salah Foundation Hero’s Pride Move with MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K Presented by the Florida Panthers & the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County on April 26, 2026.
Founder and Honorary Chairperson Heather Geronemus founded Move With MADD and MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K after her late father, Dr. Robert Perry Geronemus, was struck and killed by a drunk driver in 2009. In commemoration of its 15th anniversary, the annual event debuted its rebrand as Move With MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K, reflecting expanded momentum in the fight against impaired driving and deepened community engagement.
Thousands of walkers, runners, strollers, adaptive athletes, dogs and supporters of all ages came together in downtown Fort Lauderdale to take steps to raise awareness and funds to end impaired driving for good. The event surpassed its fundraising goal, generating more than $260,000 to save lives and support victims of drunk driving. The proceeds benefit MADD Southeast Florida’s community education, victim support services and youth prevention programs. Every dollar donated remains in South Florida to provide victim services and prevention education at no cost.
Attendees enjoyed a morning full of festivities, including children’s activities, an awards ceremony, live musical performances and vendor and educational booths. The morning began with former NFL Cheerleader Bella Denton singing the National Anthem. LFT Lab and Roar Station’s Alex Piccirilli, a Nike trainer featured on Netflix’s “Kickstart Fitness with the Basics,” led a fun and engaging warmup before runners and walkers hit the starting line. WTVJ-NBC 6’s Community Reporter Miriam Tapia, alongside Emcee Doug Esquire, kept the vibes high and the crowd hyped from start to finish.
The annual fundraising event was attended by local dignitaries, including Colonel Steve Robson, Undersheriff of Broward Sheriff’s Office; Sgt. Ryan Clifton from Broward Sheriff’s Office; Sgt. Trevor Thomas from Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s DUI Unit; Lt. Indiana Miranda from Florida Highway Patrol; Broward County District 3 Commissioner Michael Udine; and Fort Lauderdale District 3 Commissioner Vice Mayor Ben Sorensen.
At the event, Commissioner Udine presented Geronemus with a proclamation declaring April 26 Move With MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale Day in Broward County. At a City of Fort Lauderdale Commission meeting before the event, City of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and Vice Mayor Sorensen, alongside the Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s DUI Task Force also presented a proclamation to MADD Southeast Florida, declaring April 26 Move With MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale Day in the city.
In honor of the 15th anniversary, the MADD team presented Geronemus with a meaningful bracelet engraved with her guiding motto, “Don’t give back, just give,” a simple yet powerful reflection of her enduring generosity and the spirit she has inspired in others.
“When I started this event in 2011, after losing my father, Dr. Robert Geronemus, to a drunk driver, I made a promise that I would do everything in my power to help prevent another family from experiencing that kind of loss,” said Geronemus. “What began as grief became action. What began as pain became purpose. And what began as my family’s tragedy became a movement that each and every attendee has been a part of for 15 years.”
“That is why the name of this event matters. Move With MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K reflects exactly who we are and what this community has done for 15 years: we move. We move hearts. We move people to action. We move communities to care. And we move this fight forward. I am incredibly grateful to our sponsors, volunteers, event committee, ambassadors, public safety partners, and the MADD team for making this day possible and for standing beside all the families like mine in this fight against impaired driving. Together, we can build a future with no more victims,” she continued.
Move With MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K is a community-driven 5K that raises awareness about drunk and drugged driving and underage drinking while uniting community members around MADD’s mission. Since it was established in 2011, Move With MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K has raised more than $4.5 million.
MADD is committed to leading prevention efforts with young adults, collaborating with law enforcement to keep roads safe from impaired drivers, as well as advocating for stricter sentencing and stronger laws, including the HALT Law that mandates anti-drunk driving technology in every new car. MADD continues to provide support services to victims and survivors of impaired driving at no charge through victim services specialists and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line.
Event sponsors included Signature Sponsors UKG and The Salah Foundation; Florida Mission Hero Sponsor Hero’s Pride a World Emblem Company; Presenting Sponsors Florida Panthers and the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County; Road Guardian Sponsor Craig Zinn Automotive Group; Corporate Champion Sponsors Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Durée & Company, Florida Highway Patrol, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission, JM Family, Memorial Healthcare System, Payer Law Group, Rick Case Automotive and UBS Financial; Spotlight Sponsors Aetna, Broward College; David Geronemus & Mitzi Lyman, Rotary Club of Weston, and Westway Towing; MADD Milestone Sponsors Astound Digital, Baptist Health, Brinkley Morgan, Broward Health, City Furniture, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Holman Motorcars, Fort Lauderdale United FC Women’s Soccer Club, and Publix.
About MADD
Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is a national nonprofit leading the movement to end impaired driving for good. Since 1980, MADD has helped reduce drunk driving deaths in America by nearly 40%, saved more than 475,000 lives, and served more than one million victims and survivors. The organization is committed to leading prevention efforts with young adults, collaborating with law enforcement to keep our roads safe from impaired drivers, as well as advocating for stricter sentencing and stronger laws, including the HALT Law that mandates anti-drunk driving technology in every new car. MADD continues to provide support services to victims and survivors of impaired driving at no charge through victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. For more information or to donate, visit https://madd.org/ and follow MADD on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
